EP2262180B1 - Wireless node apparatus, and multihop wireless LAN system - Google Patents
Wireless node apparatus, and multihop wireless LAN system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2262180B1 EP2262180B1 EP20100012224 EP10012224A EP2262180B1 EP 2262180 B1 EP2262180 B1 EP 2262180B1 EP 20100012224 EP20100012224 EP 20100012224 EP 10012224 A EP10012224 A EP 10012224A EP 2262180 B1 EP2262180 B1 EP 2262180B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- wireless node
- node apparatus
- wireless
- apparatuses
- address
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Not-in-force
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
- H04W40/00—Communication routing or communication path finding
- H04W40/02—Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L45/00—Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks
- H04L45/48—Routing tree calculation
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L12/00—Data switching networks
- H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
- H04L12/44—Star or tree networks
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
- H04W84/00—Network topologies
- H04W84/02—Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
- H04W84/10—Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
- H04W84/12—WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)
- Small-Scale Networks (AREA)
- Radio Relay Systems (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a wireless node apparatus, and a multihop wireless LAN system that achieve communications among wireless node apparatuses in a network like a wireless LAN which can ensure ad-hock mutual communication thereamong.
- IEEE 802.11, the present standard technique for a wireless LAN, defines two modes as wireless LAN modes. One is an ad hock mode in which a group is formed by wireless nodes (hereinafter also called wireless node apparatuses) which radio waves directly reach to ensure direct communications without intervening a specific base station (hereinafter also called AP (Access Point)), and the other is an infra mode in which an AP is used, and wireless nodes within a range where radio waves from the AP reach (hereinafter also called STA (Station)) are connected to the AP in a star pattern, and can communicate with one another. The use of such a wireless LAN technique can permit wireless nodes to participate in and leave communications in an ad hock manner and execute mobile communications. Those communications however require that radio waves should directly reach a communication destination in ad hock mode, and radio waves should directly reach the AP in infra mode, disabling communications with parties which radio waves cannot directly reach only with wireless links.
- The prospect of a wireless LAN is disclosed in
Patent Document 1, mentioned below, as a way to speed up mobile communication. A method of constructing a multihop wireless network among wireless nodes is illustrated as one means of widening a service providing area in a system in which the communication area of a base station (AP) is smaller as compared with a mobile communication for a PDC (Personal Digital Cellular) or the like. The invention disclosed in the following patent document aims only at allowing each wireless node to communicate with a base station on a star network so that each wireless node should merely establish a relay path to the base station, and establishes such a configuration that the base station is ranked the highest-rank station among the base station and the wireless nodes and each wireless node specifically determines higher-rank wireless nodes. Further disclosed is a system where the highest-rank station (base station) does not entirely control the establishment of a star multihop wireless network, but the multihop wireless network is autonomously realized as each wireless node selects a higher-rank wireless node with the minimum number of hops to the base station based on the number of hops from the base station, as the optimal wireless node to be connected.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No.2001-237764 FIG. 1 ) - In the multihop wireless network having a tree structure with the base station ranked top and each wireless node merely relaying packets received from lower-rank wireless nodes to higher-rank wireless nodes, like the invention disclosed in
Patent Document 1, however, packets transmitted from each wireless node are always transferred to the base station, disabling direct communications among wireless nodes. If wireless nodes belonging to the same leaf (wireless node 1001 and wireless node 1002) attempt to communicate with each other on the multihop wireless network as shown inFIG. 10 , for example, abase station 1000 should receive packets once, which should be returned into the multihop wireless network. This raises a problem such that not only the delay time is increased, but also bands are used wastefully, thus wasting wireless resources.
US 2004/023617 A1 discloses the dynamical computation of routes in a meshed network wherein a proactive link-state protocol designed for mobile ad-hoc networks is applied which provides hop-by-hop routing along shortest paths to each destinations. The document discloses a multi-hop RF data communication system and discloses wireless bridge node, which are used to bridge" terminal nodes and higher order nodes together into an interconnected network. - The present invention has been made to overcome the foregoing problem, and aims at providing a wireless node apparatus and a multihop wireless LAN system which can transfer packets among wireless nodes as done in a tree type LAN, without intervening a root node which is a wireless node to be the origin of the tree to achieve efficient communications among the wireless nodes.
- To achieve the object, according to the invention, there is provided a wireless node apparatus in a multihop wireless LAN with a tree structure having a plurality of wireless node apparatuses at least some of which become relay apparatuses to ensure multihop communication, the multihop wireless LAN being constructed by allowing an arbitrary wireless node apparatus in the multihop wireless LAN to determine whether the arbitrary wireless node apparatus itself is a root wireless node apparatus positioned at a top of the multihop wireless LAN upon activation, and allowing the arbitrary wireless node apparatus to notify status information including a connection state, stored in local memory means, to wireless node apparatuses to be connected when determining that the wireless node apparatus is the root wireless node apparatus, and when determining that the wireless node apparatus is not the root wireless node apparatus, allowing the arbitrary wireless node apparatus to request other wireless node apparatuses to be connection candidates as higher-rank base stations to acquire status information, select a higher-rank base station wireless node apparatus to be connected from the other wireless node apparatuses to be connection candidates as the higher-rank base stations and connect to the higher-rank base station wireless node apparatus based on the status information acquired in response to the request, and when the arbitrary wireless node apparatus is made a connection candidate as a higher-rank base station later, to notify status information of the arbitrary wireless node apparatus to still other wireless node apparatuses which make an acquisition request for the status information, the wireless node apparatus including bridge transfer means which, with the multihop wireless LAN being constructed, transfers packets from the still other wireless node apparatuses connected as higher-rank base stations to the higher-rank base station wireless node apparatus or the still other wireless node apparatuses connected as higher-rank base stations, or transfers a packet from the higher-rank base station wireless node apparatus to the still other wireless node apparatuses connected as higher-rank base stations. This configuration can establish a LAN of a
layer 2 in the connected multihop wireless network to ensure mutual communications. - In the wireless node apparatus of the invention, it is preferable that in case of selecting a wireless node apparatus to be connected as the higher-rank base station, when the status information includes a number of hops from the root wireless node apparatus, a maximum connection number which is a maximum number of wireless node apparatuses connectable to the candidate higher-rank base station, and a current connection number which is a current number of wireless node apparatuses connected to the candidate higher-rank base station, a wireless node apparatus with a minimum number of hops should be selected from those wireless node apparatuses whose current connection numbers have not reached the maximum connection number. This configuration can establish a tree network around a root wireless node apparatus while avoiding concentration of connections to wireless nodes near the root wireless node apparatus.
- In the wireless node apparatus of the invention, it is preferable that in case of selecting a wireless node apparatus to be connected as the higher-rank base station, that wireless node apparatus whose current connection number is minimum should be further selected. This configuration can prevent the number of connections from becoming uneven among wireless nodes with the same number of hops from the root wireless node apparatus.
- It is preferable that in case of sending the packet to wireless node apparatuses other than the local wireless node apparatus, the bridge transfer means in the wireless node apparatus of the invention should capsulate a packet having a first MAC header indicating a final destination address and a first source address using a second MAC header having an address of a wireless node apparatus to be a next relay apparatus in a first predetermined field and an address of the local wireless node apparatus which is currently relaying in a second predetermined field. This configuration can ensure packet transfer to any wireless node.
- It is preferable that upon reception of the capsulated packet, the bridge transfer means in the wireless node apparatus of the invention should rewrite the address in the first predetermined field of the second MAC header with the address of the wireless node apparatus to be the next relay apparatus, and rewrite the address in the second predetermined field of the second MAC header with the address of the local wireless node apparatus. This configuration can ensure packet transfer to any wireless node.
- It is preferable that upon reception of the capsulated packet, the bridge transfer means in the wireless node apparatus of the invention should store the source address in the first MAC header and the address in the second predetermined field of the second MAC header in association with each other. This configuration can ensure efficient multihop transfer.
- According to the invention, there is provided a multihop wireless LAN system in which a multihop wireless LAN with a tree structure having a plurality of wireless node apparatuses at least some of which become relay apparatuses to ensure multihop communication, the multihop wireless LAN being constructed by allowing an arbitrary wireless node apparatus in the multihop wireless LAN to determine whether the arbitrary wireless node apparatus itself is a root wireless node apparatus positioned at a top of the multihop wireless LAN upon activation, and allowing the arbitrary wireless node apparatus to notify status information including a connection state, stored in local memory means, to wireless node apparatuses to be connected when determining that the wireless node apparatus is the root wireless node apparatus, and when determining that the wireless node apparatus is not the root wireless node apparatus, allowing the arbitrary wireless node apparatus to request other wireless node apparatuses to be connection candidates as higher-rank base stations to acquire status information, select a higher-rank base station wireless node apparatus to be connected from the other wireless node apparatuses to be connection candidates as the higher-rank base stations and connect to the higher-rank base station wireless node apparatus based on the status information acquired in response to the request, and when the arbitrary wireless node apparatus is made a connection candidate as a higher-rank base station later, to notify status information of the arbitrary wireless node apparatus to still other wireless node apparatuses which make an acquisition request for the status information, with the multihop wireless LAN being constructed, the arbitrary wireless node apparatus transferring packets from the still other wireless node apparatuses connected as higher-rank base stations to the higher-rank base station wireless node apparatus or the still other wireless node apparatuses connected as higher-rank base stations, or transferring a packet from the higher-rank base station wireless node apparatus to the still other wireless node apparatuses connected as higher-rank base stations. This configuration can establish a LAN of a
layer 2 in the connected multihop wireless network to ensure mutual communications. - It is preferable that in the multihop wireless LAN system of the invention, in case of selecting a wireless node apparatus to be connected as the higher-rank base station, when the status information includes a number of hops from the root wireless node apparatus, a maximum connection number which is a maximum number of wireless node apparatuses connectable to the candidate higher-rank base station, and a current connection number which is a current number of wireless node apparatuses connected to the candidate higher-rank base station, a wireless node apparatus with a minimum number of hops should be selected from those wireless node apparatuses whose current connection numbers have not reached the maximum connection number. This configuration can establish a tree network around a root wireless node apparatus while avoiding concentration of connections to wireless nodes near the root wireless node apparatus.
- It is preferable that in the multihop wireless LAN system of the invention, in case of selecting a wireless node apparatus to be connected as the higher-rank base station, that wireless node apparatus whose current connection number is minimum should be further selected. This configuration can prevent the number of connections from becoming uneven among wireless nodes with the same number of hops from the root wireless node apparatus.
- It is preferable that in case of sending the packet to wireless node apparatuses other than the local wireless node apparatus, the arbitrary wireless node apparatus in the multihop wireless LAN system of the invention should capsulate a packet having a first MAC header indicating a final destination address and a first source address using a second MAC header having an address of a wireless node apparatus to be a next relay apparatus in a first predetermined field and an address of the local wireless node apparatus which is currently relaying in a second predetermined field. This configuration can ensure packet transfer to any wireless node.
- It is preferable that upon reception of the capsulated packet, the arbitrary wireless node apparatus in the multihop wireless LAN system of the invention should rewrite the address in the first predetermined field of the second MAC header with the address of the wireless node apparatus to be the next relay apparatus, and rewrite the address in the second predetermined field of the second MAC header with the address of the local wireless node apparatus. This configuration can ensure packet transfer to any wireless node.
- It is preferable that upon reception of the capsulated packet, the arbitrary wireless node apparatus in the multihop wireless LAN system of the invention should store the source address in the first MAC header and the address in the second predetermined field of the second MAC header in association with each other. This configuration can ensure efficient multihop transfer.
- The wireless node apparatus and the multihop wireless LAN system of the invention have the above-described configurations, and, with a tree multihop wireless network being constructed around one wireless node, can ensure packet transfer among wireless nodes as done in a tree LAN without intervening a root node which is the wireless node to be the origin of the tree, thereby achieving efficient communications among wireless nodes.
-
- [
FIG. 1 ] A configuration diagram showing the configuration of a wireless node apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. - [
FIG. 2 ] A diagram showing a multihop wireless LAN system according to an embodiment of the invention. - [
FIG. 3 ] A flowchart for explaining a process when the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention is activated. - [
FIG. 4 ] A sequence chart for explaining a sequence until connection of the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention to a higher-rank wireless node. - [
FIG. 5 ] A diagram for explaining a format to be received as a SCAN acknowledgement in the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention. - [
FIG. 6 ] A flowchart for explaining an AP selection process in the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention. - [
FIG. 7 ] A diagram for explaining the format of a data frame in the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention. - [
FIG. 8A ] A diagram for explaining the details of a header of a packet to be received and transmitted by the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention. - [
FIG. 8B ] A diagram showing values in individual Address fields defined by IEEE 802.11 in the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention. - [
FIG. 9 ] A diagram for explaining the structure of a table to be used to change the header of a packet to be received and transmitted by the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention. - [
FIG. 10 ] A diagram showing communications among wireless nodes in a conventional multihop wireless LAN. - A wireless node apparatus and a multihop wireless LAN system according to embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to
FIGS. 1 to 9 .FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a wireless node apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a multihop wireless LAN system according to an embodiment of the invention.FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a process when the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention is activated.FIG. 4 is a sequence chart for explaining a sequence until connection of the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention to a higher-rank wireless node.FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a format to be received as a SCAN acknowledgement in the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an AP selection process in the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention.FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the format of a data frame in the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention.FIG. 8A is a diagram for explaining the details of a header of a packet to be transmitted and received by the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention.FIG. 8B is a diagram showing values in individual Address fields defined by IEEE 802.11 in the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention.FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a table to be used to change the header of a packet to be transmitted and received by the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention. - First, communications which are carried out by wireless nodes on the multihop wireless LAN system according to the embodiment of the invention will be explained referring to
FIG. 2 . The individual wireless nodes have the same functions, and no special apparatus which operates as a base station is required. In the multihop wireless LAN system (hereinafter, also simply called network), a network with a tree structure is constructed around a wireless node set as a root node. The root node does not have a special function on packet transfer, except that it is simply the top of the tree. When a packet from a wireless node (hereinafter, also simply called node) 8 addressed to anode 11 is output along apath 200, as shown inFIG. 2 , anode 5 checks the address of the received packet from its own leaf (a lower layer of the tree), and transfers the packet to anode 9, not a higher-rank node, when determining that the received packet is addressed to a node beyond thenode 9 which is another leaf of thenode 5. That is, each node performs an operation similar to that of alayer 2. The embodiment of the invention is premised on that the root node has been manually set beforehand, and only one wireless node is set as the root node on the wireless LAN system. - As each node checks the address of a packet and packet transfer is performed not only a higher-rank node and a lower-rank node but also between lower-rank apparatuses, it is possible to make the delay time shorter and effectively use the communication band; as compared with the system of transferring a packet to the root node and then reverting it for communication. Further, the multihop wireless LAN system according to the embodiment of the invention realizes such a tree network at the
layer 2. This makes it possible to construct a network without depending on alayer 3. The configuration of a wireless node and a method of constructing the tree will be explained below. - The wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention will be explained referring to
FIG. 1 . A configuration example using MAC and PHY defined by IEEE 802.11 is illustrated. Awireless node apparatus 100 comprises large twoMAC units bridge unit 101 which connects them, acontrol unit 102 which sets the functions thereof and performs control thereof, ahost unit 105 which is connected to thebridge unit 101 and runs an application or the like, andPHY STA unit 103 and the MAC-AP unit 104. The MAC-STA unit 103 and the MAC-AP unit 104 perform different operations. The MAC-STA unit 103 operates as a terminal in infra mode of IEEE 802.11 (STA: Station), and the MAC-AP unit 104 operates as a base station (AP: Access Point). Although different PHYs are respectively connected to the two MAC units in the embodiment of the invention, a configuration having two MAC units connected to a single PHY may be employed. - When the MAC-
STA unit 103 attempts, as a terminal station, to connect to an AP, the MAC-STA unit 103 requests the wireless node serving as the AP to acquire status information of the wireless node as the AP. Then, the MAC-STA unit 103 establishes a connection relationship with a specific AP designated by thecontrol unit 102, and performs communication only through wireless links present between itself and the AP. When the MAC-AP unit 104 is connected as a base station, the MAC-AP unit 104 notifies wireless nodes to be connected of status information stored in an unillustrated predetermined memory field of the MAC-AP unit 104. Then, the MAC-AP unit 104 establishes connection relationships with the STAs of a plurality of wireless nodes which attempt to connect to the MAC-AP unit 104 as AP, forming a star structure with the MAC-AP unit 104 being in the center. As the MAC-AP unit 104 itself takes a star structure around itself, and the star network is connected to higher-rank wireless nodes by the MAC-STA unit 103, the tree network around the root node constructed finally. - The
bridge unit 101 operates as a bridge of thelayer 2. Thebridge unit 101 connects the MAC-STA unit 103 and the MAC-AP unit 104 together, transfers a packet received from a higher-rank wireless node, i.e., a packet received by the MAC-STA unit 103, to the MAC-AP unit 104, and transfers a packet received from a lower-rank wireless node, i.e., a packet received by the MAC-AP unit 104, to the MAC-STA unit 103 or once again to the MAC-AP unit 104. For the transfer, thebridge unit 101 learns the address of the received packet, and constructs a table as shown inFIG. 9 to be described later. - The process upon activation of the wireless node apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention will be explained referring to
FIG. 3 . As shown inFIG. 3 , when thewireless node apparatus 100 is set as the root node upon activation (YES in step S301), thewireless node apparatus 100 operates as an AP, so that the MAC-AP unit 104 capable of holding a plurality of wireless nodes is activated and sets S = 1 to a status bit (S) which is one of status information (step S303). When thewireless node apparatus 100 is not set as the root node upon activation (NO in step S301), the MAC-STA unit 103 capable of connecting to a single AP is activated (step S302). Here, the status bit (S) indicates the level from the root node, and indicates the number of hops with the root node being S = 1. - The following explanation will be given of a sequence from new activation of the
node 3 while only thenode 1 and thenode 2 inFIG. 2 are activated up to connection of thenode 3 to higher-rank wireless nodes with reference toFIG. 4 . Because thenode 3 is not set so as to operate as the root node, the MAC-STA unit 103 is activated when thenode 3 is activated. Thecontrol unit 102 causes the MAC-STA unit 103 to make a SCAN request to acquire the statuses of connectable wireless nodes. Accordingly, the MAC-STA unit 103 of thenode 3 broadcasts a frame of the SCAN request. Of the wireless nodes which have received the frame, only those wireless nodes whose MAC-AP units 104 are already activated respond by a frame shown inFIG. 5 . The format of this frame will be discussed later. After a certain time elapses, the MAC-STA unit 103 gives information of the statuses of all the wireless nodes received to thecontrol unit 102 as a SCAN acknowledgement. - The
control unit 102 performs an AP selection process shown inFIG. 6 to be described later, based on the information of those statuses. When AP selection is successful, thecontrol unit 102 performs authentication and an association process on the selected AP. When the process till association is completed, thecontrol unit 102 sets a value obtained by adding 1 to the value of the status bit (S) as its status bit (S), and then activates the MAC-AP unit 104. As only wireless nodes connected at higher levels activate their MAC-AP units 104, only the root node activates the MAC-AP unit 104 at the beginning as has been explained in the activation process inFIG. 3 . Accordingly, a tree having leaves sequentially constructed with the root node being in the center is constructed. - Referring to
FIG. 5 , the following will describe a format for that of the wireless nodes having received the SCAN request whose MAC-AP unit 104 has already been activated notifies information of its status as a SCAN acknowledgement. In the embodiment of the invention, a beacon frame by IEEE 802.11 is extended to notify new information. This information includes three kinds of information, a status bit, a maximum connection number and a current connection number. The maximum connection number indicates the maximum value of terminals (STA) to which the MAC-AP unit 104 of a single wireless node can connect, and can be set individually. The current connection number indicates the number of terminals (STA) connected to the MAC-AP unit 104. - The above-described AP selection process will be explained with reference to
FIG. 6. FIG. 6 illustrates the process flow in thecontrol unit 102 that selects a higher-rank wireless node to be connected based on information on a status at the time of receiving a SCAN acknowledgement. First, it is checked whether or not there is a connectable AP using a status bit, a maximum connection number, and a current connection number in status information on all APs obtained by the SCAN acknowledgement. Thecontrol unit 102 determines whether or not all of the APs have the maximum connection number (step S601), and when it is determined that there are only APs which have the maximum connection numbers, it is construed that no connectable APs are present, and a rescan process is executed (step S602). As the maximum connectable number can be set for each wireless node in this manner, it is possible to limit the connection number in accordance with the bandwidth of a wireless link. This makes it possible to prevent too many wireless nodes from being connected to one AP, which would otherwise increase the overhead of an access control and lower the communication efficiency. - When the
control unit 102 determines that the connection number is not the maximum, thecontrol unit 102 compares status bits (S) of the connectable APs each indicating the number of hops from the root node, and determines whether or not there is only one AP whose status bit is at the minimum (step S603). When there are two or more APs which have the smallest status bits, thecontrol unit 102 compares the numbers of wireless nodes (current connection numbers) to which the APs satisfying the foregoing condition are already connected, and determines whether or not there is only one AP which has the minimum connection number (step S604). When there are two or more APs which have the maximum connection numbers, thecontrol unit 102 compares the reception intensities of the APs satisfying the foregoing condition at the time of receiving the SCAN acknowledgement, and selects one which has the strongest reception intensity (step S605). As leaves are sequentially constituted from not only the hop number, but also the connection number in this manner, it is possible to construct a tree in such a way that the bandwidth is efficiently used by the entire network, not dominated by a single AP. - Next, a method of transferring packets over a network with a tree structure will be explained. In the
wireless node apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the invention, IEEE 802.11 is used as a wireless access technique. Accordingly, a packet is transferred and received using the MAC header of IEEE 802.11. However, because IEEE 802.11 does not involve the multihop concept, a destination MAC address, a source MAC address, and a BSSID indicating an AP are generally used in a MAC header in infrastructure mode. Normally, the BSSID is the MAC address of an AP. Let us consider a case where thenode 8 transfers a packet to thenode 11 inFIG. 2 . - When the
node 8 outputs a packet which has a destination MAC address = the MAC address of thenode 11, a source MAC address = the MAC address of thenode 8, and a BSSID = the MAC address of thenode 5, the MAC-AP unit 104 of thenode 5 construes that MAC addresses other than the MAC addresses of nodes connected to thenode 5 are MAC addresses of those not connected to link destinations of thenode 5, and the packet is transferred to a DS (Destination System) defined by IEEE802.11, to thebridge unit 101 in this embodiment. Even if thebridge unit 101 recognizes that thenode 11 is not on a higher-rank wireless node side, but on a lower-rank side, and transfers the packet to the MAC-AP unit 104 again, there is no wireless node that receives the output packet, and the packet cannot be transferred to thenode 11 when the destination MAC address = the MAC address of thenode 11. - When multihop is performed through the
node 9, it is necessary that the packet output from the MAC-AP unit 104 of thenode 5 is set as the destination MAC address = the MAC address of thenode 9. In the embodiment, therefore, the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet (registered trademark) frame is capsulated with the IEEE 802.11 MAC header as shown inFIG. 7 . In the IEEE 802.3 MAC header, the MAC address of a final wireless node is used as the destination MAC address, and the MAC address of the sender itself is used as the source MAC address. According to the IEEE 802.11 MAC header, transfer is performed while each address is converted into addresses of wireless nodes with which the local node directly communicates. The details of the header are shown inFIGS. 8A and 8B . - As shown in
FIG. 8A , the IEEE 802.3 MAC header always has the destination MAC address (Dst MAC) = the MAC address of thenode 11, and the source MAC address (Src MAC) = the MAC address of thenode 8. As the IEEE 802.11 MAC address (Address 3) is set for thenode 11, the MAC-AP unit 104 which has received the packet transfers the packet to thebridge unit 101. Next, thebridge unit 101 determines the transfer destination from the destination MAC address in the IEEE 802.3 header, replaces the header for transferring the packet to thewireless node 9, and sends the packet to the MAC-AP unit 104 again. The IEEE 802.11 header of the packet from thewireless node 5 to thewireless node 9 has the destination MAC address = the MAC address of theSTA 9, the source MAC address = the MAC address of thenode 8, and the BSSID = the MAC address of theAP 5. - Because the destination MAC address indicates the
STA 9 in this manner, thewireless node 9 can receive the packet, and the MAC-STA unit 103 receives the packet. The packet received by the MAC-STA unit 103 is sent to thebridge unit 101 by default. Thebridge unit 101 replaces the IEEE 802.11 header by using the MAC address of thenode 11 of the destination MAC address in the IEEE 802.3 header, and sends the packet to the MAC-AP unit 104. Accordingly, a frame having a header, which has the destination MAC address = the MAC address of theSTA 11, the source MAC address = the MAC address of thenode 8, and the BSSID = the MAC address of theAP 9, is finally sent from thewireless node 9 to thewireless node 11, and the frame reaches thewireless node 11. Note thatFIG. 8B illustrates the value of each address field defined by IEEE 802.11, DA stands for Destination Address, and SA stands for Source Address. - Next, the operation of the
bridge unit 101 will be explained referring toFIG. 9 which illustrates the structure of a table used by thebridge unit 101 for determining a transfer destination and replacing a header.FIG. 9 is an example of the table of thewireless node 5. In receiving the packet, like a regular Ethernet (registered trademark) bridge, thebridge unit 101 learns a destination MAC address (IEEE 802.3). At this time, in comparison with a case where the regular Ethernet (registered trademark) bridge configures a table of reception ports and MAC addresses, information on from which MAC-Type the reception is made, i.e., whether reception is made from the MAC-STA unit 103 or MAC-AP unit 104, and the address of the IEEE 802.11 header of the received packet are used to configure a table in the embodiment of the invention, as shown inFIG. 9 . - Regarding the address of the IEEE 802.11 header, the
bridge unit 101 learns the SA in the case of the reception from the MAC-AP unit 104, or the BSSID in the case of the reception from the MAC-STA unit 103. This is the value of the IEEE 802.11Address 2, and becomes the value to be entered into the IEEE 802.11Address 1 when transfer is performed with respect to a node indicated by the destination MAC address of the learned IEEE 802.3 header. For example, thewireless nodes 1 to 4, 6, and 7 are on the higher-rank sides than thewireless node 5, and in transferring a packet to those wireless nodes, the MAC-STA unit 103 transfers the packet to thewireless node 2 that is a higher-rank wireless node to which thenode 5 is connected. - In this respect, the MAC address of the
AP 2 is used as the IEEE 802.11 MAC address. Regarding the lower-rank nodes, thebridge unit 101 distinguishes and holds those wireless nodes which are respectively connected ahead to thewireless nodes FIG. 9 is configured by learning the source MAC address in receiving a packet, a destination MAC address is searched for based on the table, and multihop transfer becomes possible together with conversion of the address of the IEEE 802.11 header.
Each functional block used for the explanation of the embodiment is typically realized by an LSI which is an integrated circuit. Those functional blocks may be separately integrated as single chips, or may be integrated as a single chip in such a manner as to include some of or all of functional blocks. An LSI may be called IC, a system LSI, a super LSI, or an ultra LSI depending on the difference in integration density.
The scheme of integration is not limited to an LSI, and may be realized by an exclusive circuit or a general-purpose processor. An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) programmable after an LSI is manufactured, or a reconfigurable processor which enables reconfiguration of the connections and settings of circuit cells in an LSI may be used.
Further, if there appears an integration technique which replace an LSI due to the advancement of the semiconductor technology, or another technology derived from the semiconductor technology, it is needles to say that the functional blocks may be integrated using that technology. For example, application of a biotechnology may be possible. - Because the wireless node apparatus and multihop type wireless LAN system according to the invention transfer a packet among wireless nodes as done in a tree type LAN without intervening a root node which is a wireless node to be the origin of the tree, to achieve efficient communications among the wireless nodes, the apparatus and system are useful for a wireless node apparatus and a multihop type wireless LAN system that realizes communication among wireless node apparatuses in a network which enables ad-hoc mutual communications like a wireless LAN.
Claims (12)
- A wireless node apparatus in a multihop wireless LAN with a tree structure having a plurality of wireless node apparatuses arranged, at least some of which become relay apparatuses to ensure multihop communication, the multihop wireless LAN being constructed by a first wireless node apparatus which is a wireless node apparatus of the plurality of wireless node apparatuses, higher-rank wireless node apparatuses, if present, located at higher levels than the first wireless node apparatus in the tree structure, and connectable to the first wireless node apparatus, and lower-rank wireless node apparatuses, if present, located at lower levels than the first wireless node apparatus in the tree structure, and connectable to the first wireless node apparatus, the wireless node apparatus being the first wireless node apparatus, and the wireless node apparatus (100) comprising:a control unit (102) that is configured to determine whether the local wireless node apparatus is a root wireless node apparatus positioned at a top of the tree structure;a status information acquiring unit (103) that is configured to, when it is determined that the local wireless node apparatus is not the root wireless node apparatus, request the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses to acquire status information thereof to acquire the status information of the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses, select a second wireless node apparatus to which the local wireless node apparatus is to be connected from the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses, and connect to the second wireless node apparatus;a status information notifying unit (104) that is configured to notify status information of the local wireless node apparatus including a connection state stored in a memory area thereof to the lower-rank wireless node apparatuses which attempt to connect to the local wireless node apparatus, if it is determined that the local wireless node apparatus is the root wireless node apparatus, after determination, or if it is determined that the local wireless node apparatus is not the root wireless node apparatus, after the local wireless node apparatus connects to the second wireless node apparatus and is requested to acquire the status information of the local wireless node apparatus; anda bridge transfer unit (101) that is configured to transfer a packet from a third wireless node apparatus in the lower-rank wireless node apparatuses which is connected to the local wireless node apparatus to the second wireless node apparatus via the status information acquiring unit (103), or transfer the packet from the third wireless node apparatus to a fourth wireless node apparatus in the lower-rank wireless node apparatuses which is connected directly to the local wireless node apparatus or to a wireless node apparatus hopped therefrom, via the status information notifying unit (104), according to a first destination address of the packet from the third wireless node apparatus, and transfer a packet from the second wireless node apparatus to a fifth wireless node apparatus in the lower-rank wireless node apparatuses which is connected directly to the local wireless node apparatus or to a wireless node apparatus hopped therefrom, via the status information notifying unit (104), according to a second destination address of the packet from the second wireless node apparatus,characterized in thatthe status information acquiring unit (103) is a first medium access control unit operable as a terminal in infrastructure mode of IEEE 802.11;the status information notifying unit (104) is a second medium access control unit operable as a base station;the bridge transfer unit (101) is configured to connect to the first and the second medium access control unit together and is adapted for replacing an IEEE 802.11 MAC header of a transferred packet with an IEEE 802.11 MAC header where in each address is converted into addresses of wireless nodes with which the local wireless node directly communicates, on the basis of a table including information on a predetermined address of a wireless node, an IEEE 802.11 MAC address of a corresponding next-hop wireless node, and an indication of whether a packet received from the wireless node indicated by the predetermined address was received from the first or the second medium access control unit.
- The wireless node apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in case of selecting the second wireless node apparatus, when the status information of the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses includes a number of hops from the root wireless node apparatus, a maximum connection number which is a maximum number of wireless node apparatuses connectable to the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses, and a current connection number which is a current number of wireless node apparatuses connected to the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses, a wireless node apparatus with a minimum number of hops is selected from those wireless node apparatuses whose current connection numbers have not reached the maximum connection number.
- The wireless node apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in case of selecting the second wireless node apparatus, that wireless node apparatus whose current connection number is minimum is further selected.
- The wireless node apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in case of sending the packet from the third wireless node apparatus or the packet from the second wireless node apparatus to wireless node apparatuses other than the local wireless node apparatus, the bridge transfer unit is configured to capsulate a packet having a first MAC header indicating a final destination address and a first source address using a second MAC header having an address of a wireless node apparatus to be a next relay apparatus in a first predetermined field and an address of the local wireless node apparatus which is currently relaying in a second predetermined field.
- The wireless node apparatus according to claim 4, wherein upon reception of the capsulated packet, the bridge transfer unit is configured to rewrite the address in the first predetermined field of the second MAC header with the address of the wireless node apparatus to be the next relay apparatus, and rewrite the address in the second predetermined field of the second MAC header with the address of the local wireless node apparatus.
- The wireless node apparatus according to claim 4, wherein upon reception of the capsulated packet, the bridge transfer unit is configured to store the source address in the first MAC header and the address in the second predetermined field of the second MAC header in association with each other.
- A multihop wireless LAN system having a tree structure comprising a plurality of wireless node apparatuses, at least some of which become relay apparatuses to ensure multihop communication, including a first wireless node apparatus which is a wireless node apparatus of the plurality of wireless node apparatuses, higher-rank wireless node apparatuses, if present, located at higher levels than the first wireless node apparatus in the tree structure, and connectable to the first wireless node apparatus, and lower-rank wireless node apparatuses, if present, located at lower levels than the first wireless node apparatus in the tree structure, and connectable to the first wireless node apparatus, the first wireless node apparatus (100) including:a control unit (102) that is configured to determine whether the local wireless node apparatus is a root wireless node apparatus positioned at a top of the tree structure;a status information acquiring unit (103) that is configured to when it is determined that the local wireless node apparatus is not the root wireless node apparatus, request the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses to acquire status information thereof to acquire the status information of the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses, selects a second wireless node apparatus to which the local wireless node apparatus is to be connected from the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses, and connects to the second wireless node apparatus;a status information notifying unit (104) that is configured to notify status information of the local wireless node apparatus including a connection state stored in a memory area thereof to the lower-rank wireless node apparatuses which attempt to connect to the local wireless node apparatus after determination, when it is determined that the local wireless node apparatus is the root wireless node apparatus, and when it is determined that the local wireless node apparatus is not the root wireless node apparatus, the local wireless node apparatus connects to the second wireless node apparatus, and after request to acquire the status information of the local wireless node apparatus,a bridge transfer (101) unit that is configured to transfer a packet from a third wireless node apparatus in the lower-rank wireless node apparatuses which is connected to the local wireless node apparatus to the second wireless node apparatus via the status information acquiring unit (103), or transfer the packet from the third wireless node apparatus to a fourth wireless node apparatus in the lower-rank wireless node apparatuses which is connected directly to the local wireless node apparatus or to a wireless node apparatus hopped therefrom, via the status information notifying unit (104), according to a first destination address of the packet from the third wireless node apparatus, and transfer a packet from the second wireless node apparatus to a fifth wireless node apparatus in the lower-rank wireless node apparatuses which is connected directly to the local wireless node apparatus or to a wireless node apparatus hopped therefrom, via the status information notifying unit (104), according to a second destination address of the packet from the second wireless node apparatus,characterized in thatthe status information acquiring unit (103) is a first medium access control unit operable as a terminal in infrastructure mode of IEEE 802.11;the status information notifying unit (104) is a second medium access control unit operable as a base station;the bridge transfer unit (101) is configured to connect the first and the second medium access control unit together and is adapted for replacing an IEEE 802.11 MAC header of a transferred packet with an IEEE 802.11 MAC header where in each address is converted into addresses of wireless nodes with which the first wireless node directly communicates, on the basis of a table including information on a predetermined address of a wireless node, an IEEE 802.11 MAC address of a corresponding next-hop wireless node, and an indication of whether a packet received from the wireless node indicated by the predetermined address was received from the first or the second medium access control unit.
- The multihop wireless LAN system according to claim 7, wherein in case of selecting the second wireless node apparatus, when the status information of the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses includes a number of hops from the root wireless node apparatus, a maximum connection number which is a maximum number of wireless node apparatuses connectable to the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses, and a current connection number which is a current number of wireless node apparatuses connected to the higher-rank wireless node apparatuses, a wireless node apparatus with a minimum number of hops is selected from those wireless node apparatuses whose current connection numbers have not reached the maximum connection number.
- The multihop wireless LAN system according to claim 8, wherein in case of selecting the second wireless node apparatus, that wireless node apparatus whose current connection number is minimum is further selected.
- The multihop wireless LAN system according to claim 7, wherein in case of sending the packet from the third wireless node apparatus or the packet from the second wireless node apparatus to wireless node apparatuses other than the local wireless node apparatus, the first wireless node apparatus is configured to capsulate a packet having a first MAC header indicating a final destination address and a first source address using a second MAC header having an address of a wireless node apparatus to be a next relay apparatus in a first predetermined field and an address of the local wireless node apparatus which is currently relaying in a second predetermined field.
- The multihop wireless LAN system according to claim 10, wherein upon reception of the capsulated packet, the first wireless node apparatus is configured to rewrite the address in the first predetermined field of the second MAC header with the address of the wireless node apparatus to be the next relay apparatus, and rewrite the address in the second predetermined field of the second MAC header with the address of the local wireless node apparatus.
- The multihop wireless LAN system according to claim 10, wherein upon reception of the capsulated packet, the first wireless node apparatus is configured to store the source address in the first MAC header and the address in the second predetermined field of the second MAC header in association with each other.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2004139166 | 2004-05-07 | ||
EP20050734496 EP1744490B1 (en) | 2004-05-07 | 2005-04-25 | Wireless node apparatus, and multihop wireless lan system |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP05734496.2 Division | 2005-04-25 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2262180A1 EP2262180A1 (en) | 2010-12-15 |
EP2262180B1 true EP2262180B1 (en) | 2011-11-23 |
Family
ID=35320563
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP20050734496 Active EP1744490B1 (en) | 2004-05-07 | 2005-04-25 | Wireless node apparatus, and multihop wireless lan system |
EP20100012224 Not-in-force EP2262180B1 (en) | 2004-05-07 | 2005-04-25 | Wireless node apparatus, and multihop wireless LAN system |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP20050734496 Active EP1744490B1 (en) | 2004-05-07 | 2005-04-25 | Wireless node apparatus, and multihop wireless lan system |
Country Status (8)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US8072949B2 (en) |
EP (2) | EP1744490B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP4514752B2 (en) |
CN (1) | CN100579044C (en) |
AT (2) | ATE535075T1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE602005025334D1 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2375838T3 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2005109764A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (23)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP4552559B2 (en) * | 2004-08-12 | 2010-09-29 | Kddi株式会社 | Communication device, setting program, and connection method in ad hoc mode of wireless LAN |
US7403492B2 (en) * | 2005-05-05 | 2008-07-22 | Meshnetworks, Inc. | Method to support multicast routing in multi-hop wireless networks |
KR100728039B1 (en) * | 2006-01-05 | 2007-06-14 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Method and apparatus for forwarding control frame to hidden node in wlan |
JP4318693B2 (en) * | 2006-01-27 | 2009-08-26 | 京セラ株式会社 | Mobile communication system, base station apparatus, and mobile communication method |
WO2007131347A1 (en) * | 2006-05-11 | 2007-11-22 | Nortel Networks Limited | Media access control protocol for multi-hop network systems and method therefore |
US7869763B2 (en) | 2006-06-26 | 2011-01-11 | Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. | Zigbee device using neighbor table and data transmission method of the Zigbee device |
US8644287B2 (en) * | 2006-08-09 | 2014-02-04 | Institute For Information Industry | Wireless communication system, apparatus, and method for transmitting information to describe network topology |
JP5041948B2 (en) * | 2007-09-28 | 2012-10-03 | 京セラ株式会社 | Wireless terminal and wireless communication method |
JP5036602B2 (en) * | 2008-03-11 | 2012-09-26 | 三菱電機株式会社 | Wireless ad hoc terminal and ad hoc network system |
JP4518169B2 (en) * | 2008-03-24 | 2010-08-04 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Tree-type broadcast system, mode switching instruction method, broadcast apparatus, and broadcast processing program |
US8665787B2 (en) | 2008-07-04 | 2014-03-04 | Hera Wireless S.A. | Radio apparatus which communicates with other radio apparatuses and communication system |
JP2010016689A (en) * | 2008-07-04 | 2010-01-21 | Sanyo Electric Co Ltd | Communication system |
JP5166142B2 (en) * | 2008-07-04 | 2013-03-21 | 三洋電機株式会社 | Wireless device |
JP5053400B2 (en) * | 2010-03-15 | 2012-10-17 | 株式会社バッファロー | Wireless LAN device, protocol execution method and program thereof |
US20120057536A1 (en) * | 2010-09-02 | 2012-03-08 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method and apparatus for supporting multi-band wifi |
CN102572921B (en) * | 2011-12-27 | 2015-05-20 | 中兴通讯股份有限公司 | Wireless communication device and method for adjusting maximum access quantity |
CN105009517A (en) * | 2013-12-10 | 2015-10-28 | 华为终端有限公司 | Method for judging whether access point is connectable, station and access point |
US9680702B1 (en) * | 2014-06-02 | 2017-06-13 | Hrl Laboratories, Llc | Network of networks diffusion control |
JP6587175B2 (en) * | 2015-06-03 | 2019-10-09 | パナソニックIpマネジメント株式会社 | Multi-hop communication system, communication apparatus, and communication method |
KR101980868B1 (en) * | 2018-10-10 | 2019-05-22 | 넥서스텍(주) | Wi-Fi mobile communication system in multi-hop network |
JP7010804B2 (en) * | 2018-11-22 | 2022-01-26 | 株式会社東芝 | Relay device, network system, relay method and program |
JP6937286B2 (en) * | 2018-11-30 | 2021-09-22 | 株式会社東芝 | Wireless relay device and wireless relay method |
JP7299622B2 (en) * | 2020-03-31 | 2023-06-28 | サイレックス・テクノロジー株式会社 | Communication system, bridge device, access point, and communication method |
Family Cites Families (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6374311B1 (en) * | 1991-10-01 | 2002-04-16 | Intermec Ip Corp. | Communication network having a plurality of bridging nodes which transmit a beacon to terminal nodes in power saving state that it has messages awaiting delivery |
KR100417672B1 (en) | 1995-06-30 | 2004-05-31 | 코닌클리케 필립스 일렉트로닉스 엔.브이. | Method and apparatus for routing messages within a network of nodes |
JP2947351B1 (en) * | 1998-08-26 | 1999-09-13 | 日本電信電話株式会社 | Learning type wireless packet transfer method and wireless base station using the method |
JP3451233B2 (en) * | 2000-02-24 | 2003-09-29 | 日本電信電話株式会社 | Multi-hop wireless networks and radio stations |
JP3870701B2 (en) * | 2000-03-10 | 2007-01-24 | 株式会社日立製作所 | Computer hierarchy information management method and apparatus, and recording medium recording the processing program |
US6804710B1 (en) * | 2000-03-10 | 2004-10-12 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Configuration information management system, method, program, and program storage device |
US7698463B2 (en) * | 2000-09-12 | 2010-04-13 | Sri International | System and method for disseminating topology and link-state information to routing nodes in a mobile ad hoc network |
US6982960B2 (en) * | 2001-03-09 | 2006-01-03 | Motorola, Inc. | Protocol for self-organizing network using a logical spanning tree backbone |
JP3943859B2 (en) * | 2001-05-01 | 2007-07-11 | 株式会社エヌ・ティ・ティ・ドコモ | Mobile communication system, mobile communication method, and mobile station |
US7046671B2 (en) * | 2002-05-08 | 2006-05-16 | Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P. | Ethernet wide area network and method |
US7634230B2 (en) * | 2002-11-25 | 2009-12-15 | Fujitsu Limited | Methods and apparatus for secure, portable, wireless and multi-hop data networking |
US7350077B2 (en) * | 2002-11-26 | 2008-03-25 | Cisco Technology, Inc. | 802.11 using a compressed reassociation exchange to facilitate fast handoff |
-
2005
- 2005-04-25 WO PCT/JP2005/007788 patent/WO2005109764A1/en active Application Filing
- 2005-04-25 EP EP20050734496 patent/EP1744490B1/en active Active
- 2005-04-25 DE DE200560025334 patent/DE602005025334D1/en active Active
- 2005-04-25 ES ES10012224T patent/ES2375838T3/en active Active
- 2005-04-25 AT AT10012224T patent/ATE535075T1/en active
- 2005-04-25 AT AT05734496T patent/ATE492096T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2005-04-25 US US11/579,512 patent/US8072949B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2005-04-25 EP EP20100012224 patent/EP2262180B1/en not_active Not-in-force
- 2005-04-25 JP JP2006512945A patent/JP4514752B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2005-04-25 CN CN200580022417A patent/CN100579044C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1744490B1 (en) | 2010-12-15 |
EP2262180A1 (en) | 2010-12-15 |
WO2005109764A1 (en) | 2005-11-17 |
JP4514752B2 (en) | 2010-07-28 |
ATE535075T1 (en) | 2011-12-15 |
ES2375838T3 (en) | 2012-03-06 |
EP1744490A4 (en) | 2007-09-12 |
US20070291679A1 (en) | 2007-12-20 |
DE602005025334D1 (en) | 2011-01-27 |
JPWO2005109764A1 (en) | 2008-03-21 |
CN1981481A (en) | 2007-06-13 |
CN100579044C (en) | 2010-01-06 |
US8072949B2 (en) | 2011-12-06 |
ATE492096T1 (en) | 2011-01-15 |
EP1744490A1 (en) | 2007-01-17 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
EP2262180B1 (en) | Wireless node apparatus, and multihop wireless LAN system | |
KR100957920B1 (en) | System and method for utilizing multiple radios to increase the capacity of a wireless communication network | |
EP2840860B1 (en) | Hybrid Mesh Network | |
EP1886450B1 (en) | A spanning-tree protocol for wireless networks | |
US7782835B2 (en) | System and method for multihop packet forwarding | |
US20080317047A1 (en) | Method for discovering a route to a peer node in a multi-hop wireless mesh network | |
US20160150459A1 (en) | Techniques to support heterogeneous network data path discovery | |
US20080316997A1 (en) | Multi-radio node with a single routing module which manages routing for multiple different radio modules | |
US20090059934A1 (en) | Method and device for providing a bridge in a network | |
US20080316951A1 (en) | Method for discovering a route to an intelligent access point (iap) | |
US20110134845A1 (en) | Wireless communication network providing multi-hop communications | |
JP4704652B2 (en) | Self-organizing network with decision engine | |
EP1610503B1 (en) | Controlling routing operations in communication networks | |
Raju et al. | Beacon assisted discovery protocol (bead) for self-organizing hierarchical ad-hoc networks | |
JP2006050460A (en) | Radio node device and multi-hop radio system | |
Lv et al. | Network-leading association scheme in ieee 802.11 wireless mesh networks | |
CN105338662A (en) | Zigbee network | |
JP2003273887A (en) | Route optimization system for radio road system |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
AC | Divisional application: reference to earlier application |
Ref document number: 1744490 Country of ref document: EP Kind code of ref document: P |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR |
|
AX | Request for extension of the european patent |
Extension state: AL BA HR LV MK YU |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 20110204 |
|
RIC1 | Information provided on ipc code assigned before grant |
Ipc: H04B 7/15 20060101ALI20110404BHEP Ipc: H04L 12/28 20060101AFI20110404BHEP Ipc: H04L 12/56 20060101ALN20110404BHEP |
|
GRAP | Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1 |
|
GRAS | Grant fee paid |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3 |
|
GRAA | (expected) grant |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210 |
|
AC | Divisional application: reference to earlier application |
Ref document number: 1744490 Country of ref document: EP Kind code of ref document: P |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: B1 Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: GB Ref legal event code: FG4D |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: CH Ref legal event code: EP |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: IE Ref legal event code: FG4D |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R096 Ref document number: 602005031421 Country of ref document: DE Effective date: 20120202 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: ES Ref legal event code: FG2A Ref document number: 2375838 Country of ref document: ES Kind code of ref document: T3 Effective date: 20120306 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: NL Ref legal event code: VDEP Effective date: 20111123 |
|
LTIE | Lt: invalidation of european patent or patent extension |
Effective date: 20111123 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: LT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 Ref country code: IS Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20120323 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: PT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20120323 Ref country code: SE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 Ref country code: BE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 Ref country code: NL Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 Ref country code: SI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 Ref country code: GR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20120224 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: CY Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: BG Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20120223 Ref country code: SK Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 Ref country code: EE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 Ref country code: DK Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 Ref country code: CZ Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: PL Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 Ref country code: RO Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 Ref country code: IT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: AT Ref legal event code: MK05 Ref document number: 535075 Country of ref document: AT Kind code of ref document: T Effective date: 20111123 |
|
PLBE | No opposition filed within time limit |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT |
|
26N | No opposition filed |
Effective date: 20120824 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: MC Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20120430 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: CH Ref legal event code: PL |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R097 Ref document number: 602005031421 Country of ref document: DE Effective date: 20120824 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: IE Ref legal event code: MM4A |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: IE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20120425 Ref country code: CH Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20120430 Ref country code: LI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20120430 Ref country code: AT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: FI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: TR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20111123 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: LU Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20120425 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R082 Ref document number: 602005031421 Country of ref document: DE Representative=s name: GRUENECKER, KINKELDEY, STOCKMAIR & SCHWANHAEUS, DE |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: GB Ref legal event code: 732E Free format text: REGISTERED BETWEEN 20140619 AND 20140625 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: HU Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20050425 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R082 Ref document number: 602005031421 Country of ref document: DE Representative=s name: GRUENECKER, KINKELDEY, STOCKMAIR & SCHWANHAEUS, DE Effective date: 20140711 Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R081 Ref document number: 602005031421 Country of ref document: DE Owner name: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF, US Free format text: FORMER OWNER: PANASONIC CORPORATION, KADOMA, OSAKA, JP Effective date: 20140711 Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R082 Ref document number: 602005031421 Country of ref document: DE Representative=s name: GRUENECKER PATENT- UND RECHTSANWAELTE PARTG MB, DE Effective date: 20140711 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: TP Owner name: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF, US Effective date: 20140722 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: ES Ref legal event code: PC2A Owner name: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AME Effective date: 20150409 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: PLFP Year of fee payment: 12 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: PLFP Year of fee payment: 13 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: PLFP Year of fee payment: 14 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: DE Payment date: 20180420 Year of fee payment: 14 Ref country code: ES Payment date: 20180507 Year of fee payment: 14 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: FR Payment date: 20180420 Year of fee payment: 14 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: GB Payment date: 20180418 Year of fee payment: 14 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R119 Ref document number: 602005031421 Country of ref document: DE |
|
GBPC | Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20190425 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: DE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20191101 Ref country code: GB Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20190425 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: FR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20190430 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: ES Ref legal event code: FD2A Effective date: 20200901 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: ES Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20190426 |